00:00 Hi, I'm digital reporter Amy Seddon and this weekend myself and my partner will be attending a wedding at a 19th century mansion hotel in Lancashire called the Astley Bank Hotel.
00:11 I'm staying both Friday and Saturday night with the wedding taking place on the Saturday.
00:16 In this video I'll share with you my thoughts on the Astley Bank Hotel as a wedding venue choice. So here's to a good weekend!
00:25 From the outside, Astley Bank Hotel looks very pretty. Surrounded by large picturesque gardens, the hotel itself is grand and imposing, the type of fairy tale venue I certainly dreamt of getting married in as a child.
00:38 The building is not too large however and the surroundings are silent so my first impression was that this will be a sweet venue choice for a wedding.
00:46 The front entrance leads you straight into the main reception which is noticeably small but classically decorated with a marble floor and hardwood furnishings.
00:55 I particularly liked the chandeliers and the grand fireplace. The staff at reception were of course as friendly as expected.
01:02 We then went upstairs to our bedroom which was the standard option. The room was well presented, reasonably sized and had all the amenities we expected.
01:11 We slept soundly both nights in a comfortable bed with no problems with noise despite being above the entertainment room.
01:17 The bathroom was large, clean and well equipped. For a two night stay, including breakfast, this room cost £194 as part of the wedding party and we were pleased with what we got.
01:28 Back downstairs, the bar was small but smart and well stocked. This led on to a lounge where wedding guests could relax with their drinks throughout the day up until the night's end.
01:39 The lounge was large and comfortable but was entirely filled by wedding guests on both nights of our stay which may be awkward for regular members of the public who have to pass through here for their rooms as we had to on our first night.
01:51 The ceremonial hall where the wedding takes place is then just off the lounge. It was a bright and pretty location with enough space for 120 seated guests. A bride and groom can decorate it as they wish.
02:04 The same function room is then rearranged and used for the wedding breakfast later on, again designed by the bride and groom.
02:11 We were given starter, main and dessert options to choose from prior to the day and we were all impressed of our choices when they came as the food was well presented, tasty and filling.
02:22 There were also plenty of vegetarian and vegan options to choose from.
02:26 Entertainment, privately arranged by our hosts, followed the food and then there was a much needed break before the evening party to take place later on.
02:37 This was again held in the same room where some of the tables moved away to make space for a dance floor and the hotel's DJ.
02:44 He did a good job of the music and the evening food of sausage or pork butties with chips went down a treat.
02:51 So I didn't film any more footage after that but went to bed in high spirits and woke up the next day a little worse for wear.
02:59 Now back home and reflecting on the weekend, I would definitely recommend Astley Bank Hotel if you want an all-in-one wedding location.
03:07 It was a pretty and grand hotel with reasonable prices both for the accommodation and for the drinks.
03:13 It was large enough to fit all of your wedding party in easily but small enough to feel intimate.
03:19 The food was of a high standard and the staff were very friendly and as far as I could tell, the bride and groom had a stress-free day.
03:26 But what I can say for certain is that as a wedding guest, I had a fab time!
